Agenda and minutes

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at the meeting.

The meeting was webcast on the Council’s website.

Apologies for absence were received from Felicity Kally, Parent-Governor Representative.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item below. New items of exempt business will be dealt with at item below).

There were no such items.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

There were no such items.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, paragraph 29 of the Council’s constitution.

Although not formal deputations, the Chair agreed to requests to speak from Dave Morris, spokesman for the Stop Haringey Health Cuts Coalition, and from  Doctor Helen Pelendries of the Evergreen House Surgery.

To consider the following developments to mental health services within Haringey by Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust:

-          The reconfiguration of community Mental Health Teams in Haringey

-          St Ann’s Hospital Re-development

-          The revised timetable for the Foundation Trust application

TO FOLLOW

The committee received a verbal update from Maria Kane, Acting Chief Executive and Lee Bojter, Service Director – Haringey of the Mental Health Trust on developments in services in the borough.

Members were informed of plans to reconfigure mental health teams, including the redevelopment of St Ann’s Hospital.  It was noted that the Trust intended to submit the Strategic Outline Case and Integrated Business Plan for the redevelopment in January 2009.  It was noted that other Mental Health teams would be reconfigured in late October, with information on this to be brought to the committee next month.  The Mental Health Trust stated it was working closely with the Primary Care Trust on the plans, and on resolving concerns over clinical outcomes.  The committee noted that the Mental Health Trust’s new board was due to be fully embedded by the end of the summer.

In response to Member requests, the Mental Health Trust stated that the project director would be paid a Band 9 salary of between £65,000 and £90,000 per annum.  The Primary Care Trust informed the committee that it currently had no plans for changes with regards to the amount of services of commissioned from the Mental Health Trust.

It was noted that a significant majority of respondents to the Trust’s consultation on Foundation status had been in favour of the proposals, although concerns were raised by residents over the thoroughness of the exercise.  It was agreed however there was consensus on the fact that some facilities at St. Ann’s were no longer fit for purpose.

It was noted that a detailed discussion including a full spectrum assessment of Mental Health issues and input from residents would take place at the committee at the meeting of 28^th July 2008.  This would incorporate discussion of the St Ann’s Hospital redevelopment.

 RESOLVED:

1.         That it be noted that mental health partners would be reporting to the Committee at its meeting on 28 July on relevant mental health issues.

2.         That the proposed redevelopment of St. Ann’s Hospital be considered further as part of this discussion

3.         That the Trust update the committee on their work on the Consultation Strategy in due course.

To consider proposals by Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust to close an acute adult inpatient ward at St. Ann’s Hospital in order to allow reinvestment of resources into the Community Home Treatment Team and remaining inpatient wards.  TO FOLLOW

The committee received this report to consider proposals by Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust to close an acute adult inpatient ward at St Ann’s Hospital in order to allow reinvestment of resources into the Community Home Treatment Team and remaining inpatient wards.

The committee welcomed the fact that money saved from the proposed closure of the ward would be re-invested in Mental Health, either in wards or in community services.  The Mental Health Trust stated that they were pleased to be working alongside Patients Groups to ensure that the public were engaged as with as the consultation progressed over the twelve week period.  It was noted that no date had yet been identified for closure of the ward.

The committee was of the opinion that the proposed changes constituted a ‘substantial variation’, and thus agreed to recognise them as such.  It was further noted that wide and substantial consultation would be required on the item, and residents were encouraged to feed their views into the relevant Scrutiny Reviews being chaired by Cllr Aitken and Cllr Dodds.

RESOLVED:

1.      That residents be encouraged to feed into the forthcoming scrutiny work on mental health related issues.

2.      That the proposal by the Mental Health Trust be considered to constitute a “substantial variation” to services due to:

Ø      Number of patients affected

Ø      Changes to methods of service delivery

and therefore subject to consultation under Section 7 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001.

3.      That the intention of the MHT to initiate a 12 week formal period of consultation, following the drafting of an appropriate  consultation document,  be noted.

4.      That the Committee give further and detailed consideration to the proposals and the making of an appropriate response to the consultation.

To consider and comment on the latest update of the Haringey Primary Care Strategy

COVERING REPORT TO FOLLOW

The committee received a report on the latest update of the Primary Care Strategy, and were updated on developments by representatives from the Primary Care Trust.

The PCT recognised that there was still work to carry out with regard to the Strategy.  Formal consultation on the document was likely to take place in early 2009, with the desire being for the board to sign off the Strategy by the summer of that year.  The Trust remained open to further significant changes to the strategy taking place prior to the final version, and re-iterated their commitment to ensuring that high quality primary care was accessible for all residents of the borough.

In response to a query over the Council’s Lymington Avenue site, the Trust stated that although they wished to create provision in the Wood Green area, they would not yet commit to any specific site.  The PCT also agreed to provide a written response to Cllr Alexander’s enquiries over pharmacy planning.

The committee were addressed by Mr Dave Morris of the Stop Haringey Health Cuts Coalition.  Concerns were raised over the nature of the consultation by the Primary Care Trust, and the scale of GP surgery closures which the strategy’s implementation would entail.  Concerns were also raised over healthcare being more vulnerable to privatisation.  Mr Morris stated that there were enough ‘triggers’ for the committee to refer the strategy up to the Secretary of State.  The PCT agreed to provide a response to the matters raised by Mr Morris, and the committee thanked him for his contribution.

The committee were then addressed by Dr Helen Pelendries of the Evergreen House Surgery.  Dr Pelendries informed the committee of the specialist service in her practice, using multi-lingual staff to work with ethnic minority users.  Attention was drawn to the incompatibility of the currently approach with the stated pledges of the Darzi review.  She also raised concerns over the lack of consultation with GPs surgeries themselves; while clinically-driven change to the provision of NHS services was not something to be objected to in itself, she felt that the perceived lack of consultation at a local level was a matter of concern.  The committee thanked Dr Pelendries for her contribution.

The PCT acknowledged there had been shortcomings in its consultation approach, and promised to attempt to improve in the future.  They acknowledged that there was a difference between closing and relocating a surgery and insisted that they were not in the business of closing good premises. 

The Committee and Primary Care Trust agreed to work together on further consultation, with the prospect of events such as a ‘My Surgery, My Say’ day being mooted.  It was agreed that although many people felt uncomfortable with the proposed changes, referring the matter up to the Secretary of State would not be a positive course of action at a stage where the scheme was lacking detail.  The Trust agreed to co-operate with Overview & Scrutiny to engage fully with the community as the strategy continued to move forward.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

There were no such items.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the following meetings of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee:

-          17 March 2008

-          7 April 2008

-          28 April 2008 (extra meeting)

Approval of the minutes of the meetings of 17^th March, 7^th April and 28^th April were deferred to the meeting of 30^th June 2008.